This week, Theatre Philadelphia announced its 2017 Barrymore Award nominees, recognizing achievement in performance, design and direction in shows in Philadelphia from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. There are a total of 39 companies and 107 shows up for honors.
Arden Theatre Company picks up the most nominations, with a whopping 39. Two of those are in the coveted Outstanding Overall Production of a Play category, for The Legend of Georgia McBride and Stupid Fucking Bird. They also scored no less than three nominations in the Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical category for A Year With Frog & Toad, Gypsy and The Light Princess.
The Wilma Theater nabbed the next highest amount of nominations, with 16. When the Rain Stops Falling gets the most of those recognitions, including Outstanding Overall Production of a Play and Outstanding Direction of a Play for Blanka Zizka. Other nominees in the Best Direction of a Play include Brenna Geffers for EgoPo Classic Theater’s Anna, Claire Moyer for Radiant Vermin at Inis Nua Theatre Company and Aaron Posner for Stupid Fucking Bird.
Performance nods include Kittson O’Neill for her role as the Pilot in Grounded and Susan Riley Stevens for playing Emma Goldman in Marcus/Emma—both InterAct productions. Akeem Davis is nominated twice in the Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play category, for his roles as Jackson and Marcus Garvey in Theatre Exile’s Buzzer and InterAct’s Marcus/Emma, respectively. Barrymore favorite Scott Greer is nominated for his role as George in InterAct’s How to Use a Knife, and Mary Martello is up for an Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical trophy for her role as Rose in the Arden’s Gypsy.
Philadelphia theater's first biggest night happens October 30 when the prizes are doled out in a ceremony at the Merriam Theatre starting at 7pm. All are welcome to attend the festivities, which will end with an after-party at University of the Arts’s Dorrance Hamilton Hall. Tickets go on sale August 28.
See the full list of 2017 Barrymore Award nominations below:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
- Hand to God (Philadelphia Theatre Company)
- How to Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)
- The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Mountaintop (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Stupid Fucking Bird (Arden Theatre Company)
- When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
- A Year with Frog & Toad (Arden Theatre Company)
- Godspell (Eagle Theatre) Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)
- Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Monty Python’s Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)
Outstanding Direction of a Play
- Steve H. Broadnax III (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Emmanuelle Delpech (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Brenna Geffers (Anna, EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Claire Moyer (Radiant Vermin, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
- Aaron Posner (Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
- Lane Savadove (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Blanka Zizka (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
- Kate Galvin (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Kristin McLaughlin Mitchell (Monty Python’s Spamalot, Resident Theatre Company)
- Terrence J. Nolen (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Steve Pacek (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Ted Wioncek III (John and Jen, Eagle Theatre)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play
- Jaylene Clark Owens (Vanessa, WHITE, Theatre Horizon)
- Sarah Gliko (Marianne, Constellations, The Wilma Theater)
- Eleanor Handley (Romaine Helger, Witness for the Prosecution, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
- Patrese D. McLain (Camae, The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Kittson O’Neill (The Pilot, Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Susan Riley Stevens (Emma Goldman, Marcus/Emma, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Samantha Rosenstrater (Shelly, Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play
- Akeem Davis (Jackson, Buzzer, Theatre Exile)
- Akeem Davis (Marcus Garvey, Marcus/Emma, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Scott Greer (George, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Jered McLenigen (Roland, Constellations, The Wilma Theater)
- Aubie Merrylees (Tyrone, Jason, Hand to God, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
- Matteo Scammell (Casey, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Lindsay Smiling (Steve, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Bowman Wright (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical
- Kim Carson (Chanteuse, Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Alex Keiper (Lizzie Borden, Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Mary Martello (Rose, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nicole Stacie (Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, New Freedom Theatre)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical
- Alex Bechtel (Prince/Witch, The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Ben Dibble (Toad, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Steve Pacek (Gordon Michael Schwinn, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)
- Tim Rinehart (Black Stache, Peter and the Starcatcher, Eagle Theatre)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
- Carla Belver (Genevieve, John, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nancy Boykin (Older Elizabeth Law, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Taysha Canales (Younger Gabrielle York, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Eleni Delopoulos (Radiant Vermin, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
- Melanye Finister (Older Gabrielle York, When the Rain Stops Falling, The WIlma Theater)
- Hillary Parker (Liz, You for Me for You, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Stephanie N. Walters (Lamb 1, Peaceable Kingdom, Orbiter 3)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
- David Bardeen (Frog, Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon)
- J Hernandez (Carlos, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Dan Hodge (Dev, Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
- Mikeah Ernest Jennings (Rexy & Jason, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Stephen Rishard (Joe Ryan, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Ed Swidey (Trigorin, The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- Greg Wood (Dr. Sorn, Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
- Rachel Brennan (Bridget Sullivan, Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Rachel Camp (June, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Caroline Dooner (Louise, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Leigha Kato (Mouse, Bird, Mole, Squirrel, Young Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
- Malik Akil (Tulsa, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Doug Hara (Mr. Bungee, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)
- Steve Pacek (Bird, Lizard, Snail, Mole, Father Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Josh Totora (Sam Slug, Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
Outstanding Scenic Design
- Tony Cisek (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Paul Kuhn (The Birds, Curio Theatre Company)
- Tim Mackabee (John, Arden Theatre Company)
- Sara Outing (How We Got On, Azuka Theatre)
- Matt Saunders (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Thom Weaver (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
Outstanding Costume Design
- Oana Botez (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Richard St. Clair (A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nikki Delhomme (Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Olivera Gajic (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden) Rebecca Kanach (Peaceable Kingdom, Orbiter 3)
- Jill Keys (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Kayla Speedy (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Outstanding Lighting Design
- Joshua Schulman (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Maria Shaplin (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Masha Tsimring (Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Yi Zhao (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Sound Design
- Christopher Colucci (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Lucas Fendley (How We Got On, Azuka Theatre)
- Damien Figeuras (Antihero, Tribe of Fools)
- Rob Kaplowitz (Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Daniel Perelstein (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Toby Pettit (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Chris Sannino (The Birds, Curio Theatre Company)
Outstanding Original Music
- Alex Bechtel (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Alex Bechtel (Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Christopher Colucci (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Michael Hahn and Liz Filios (An Iliad, Lantern Theater Company)
- Andrew Nelson (The Arsonists, Azuka Theatre)
- Marina Sadovksa (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Daniel Perelstein (Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Choreography/Movement
- Terry Brennan (School Play, Tribe of Fools)
- Michael Consenza (Anthihero, Tribe of Fools)
- Melanie Cotton (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Brenna Geffers and K.O. Delmarcelle (Anna, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- Jenn Rose (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Samantha Reading (Mauritius, Act II)
- Derek Roland (Monty Python’s Spamalot, Resident Theatre Company)
Outstanding Music Direction
- Alex Bechtel (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Dan Kazemi (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Amanda Morton (A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Jason Neri (Godspell, Eagle Theatre)
- Ryan Touhey (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
- Anna (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- How to Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)
- The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Peaceable Kingdom (Orbiter 3)
- The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
- Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)
- Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Monty Python’s Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)
- Sleeping Beauty (People's Light and Theatre Company)
Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical
- Anna by Brenna Geffers and the Ensemble (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- How to Use a Knife by Will Snider (InterAct Theatre Company)
- The Light Princess by Anthony Lawton and Alex Bechtel (Arden Theatre Company)
- Marcus/Emma by Mary Tuomanen (InterAct Theatre Company)
- Peaceable Kingdom by Mary Tuomanen (Orbiter 3)
- WHITE by James Ijames (Theatre Horizon)
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Penelope Reed
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist
- Rachel Camp
- Jaylene Clark Owens
- Katherine Fritz
- Allison Heishman
- Mary Tuomanen
- Rebecca Wright
Virginia Brown Martin Philadelphia Award
- Buzzer (Theatre Exile)
- Mountaintop (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Peaceable Kingdom (Orbiter 3)
- WHITE (Theatre Horizon)
June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company
- The Bearded Ladies Cabaret
- Curio Theatre Company
- EgoPo Classic Theater
- Quintessence Theatre Group
- Simpatico Theatre
- Tribe of Fools
Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program
- Curio Theatre Company
- Lantern Theater Company
- Theatre Exile
- Theatre Horizon